Tuesday, January 11, 2011

In Italian, this soup is called, Minestra di Pasta e Piselli...translated, it's Pasta & Pea Soup.I couldn't resist making it, as I fell in love with the idea of tiny pasta stars & itty bitty diced vegetables. I was also intrigued with the idea of making a "battuto", or an Italian version of a "Mirepoix". For those unfamiliar with the term, it's basically a finely diced blend of aromatics & flavorful vegetables...and, in this case, prosciutto. It's used to enhance the flavor of stocks, soups & sauces. Many cultures have their own version of the Mirepoix...the Spanish have sofrito, the Portuguese have refogado,...in Creole cooking, it's called the holy trinity.With a base of aromatic vegetables, butter & prosciutto, I figured, how could this soup not be good?It's delicious...and, not only that it's so pretty. It went over well with the family & I'm happy I have a pot of it for the impending snowstorm headed our way!Begin by coarsely chopping 1 1/2 ounces of prosciutto, 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 onion, 1 clove of garlic & 12 large basil leaves. Add everything to the bowl of a food processor.Pulse, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until all the ingredients are finely chopped. This mixture is your battuto.Heat a large, heavy pot over medium heat & add the battuto. Cook, stirring occasionally, until everything gets soft, about 8-10 minutes. Pour 2 quarts of chicken stock & bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer & stir in a 1/2 cup of star shaped pasta {pastina}. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, or until the pasta is about half done. Add a 1/2 cup each of finely diced carrots & fennel...along with a 1/2 cup peas {fresh or frozen}. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the vegetables & pasta are just tender. Season the soup with a generous amount of kosher salt {or, to taste} & some freshly ground black pepper. Serve the soup with a squeeze of lemon & a sprinkle of grated Parmesan.

Tiny Pasta & Pea Soup

Adapted from Fine Cooking magazine, "Soups & Stews"Serves 6Any small soup style pasta, such as stelline, orzo, or acini di pepe, can be used in this soup. If needed, the "battuto", an Italian version of a French "mirepoix", can be made without a food processor, by finely chopping the ingredients by hand.Once cooked, the battuto becomes a "soffritto" & is an excellent flavor base for sauces & soups.

Add the prosciutto, butter, onion, garlic & basil to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until all the ingredients are finely chopped. This mixture is called a battuto. Heat a large, heavy pot over medium heat & add the battuto. Cook, stirring occasionally, until everything gets soft, about 8-10 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock & bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer & stir in the pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, or until the pasta is about half done. Add the peas, carrots & fennel. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the vegetables & pasta are just tender. Season the soup with a generous amount of kosher salt {or, to taste} & some freshly ground black pepper. Serve the soup with a squeeze of lemon & a sprinkle of grated Parmesan.Click here for the printable recipe.